Game apparatus.



L. R. CALDER.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN- 25. I917.

1,249,71 a. Patented Dec. 11,1917.

ltd

mm or cnantus'rou, sou'rrr outrun.

- cairn arrana rus.

naaari'e.

specification or tietterat atent.

application filed January at, wilt". Serial No. rat mt.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, LEO, R. CALDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charleston, in the county of Charleston and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to game apparatus and has as its object to provide a game apparatus which will prove amusing as well as afiording exercise. Incidentally, the intltl fill

tit

vention aims to provide a game apparatus the use of which will necessitate the exercise of skill thereby rendering the apparatus more interesting.

Another aim ofthe invention is to provide an apparatus of this class which may be conveniently packed in a small space and which, without the use of any tools, may be readily set up upon any convenient support, such, for example, as a table top.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the apparatus embodyingthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the bat constituting a part of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4c is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of bat;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a slight modification of the invention.

Briefly stated, the apparatus embodying the present invention includes a support for an inflated ball or sphere, and a bat through the use of which the ball is to be first dislodged from the support and then returned thereto without being permitted to fall to the floor or any other similar surface. The support includes a standard which is carried by an attaching bracket and the said bracket is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and includes spaced members-2 and 3, the former constituting a fixed clamping jaw and the latter carrying an adjustable clamping screw indicated by the numeral 4. The bracket member is designed to be applied and secured to the edge of a table, shelf, or any other convenient supportand the said member is provided with an extension 5 having an upstanding socket 6 which receives the lower end of one member'of the upright, this member being indicated in gen eral by the numeral 7 and being preferably formed from a single length of wire. "the said member is fitted at its lower end into the socket 6 and is secured in place by means of a set screw, indicated'by the numeral 8, it being understood that when the apparatus 1s to be packed in a small space, the member 'i may be removed from the socket by loosenmg the said set screw. 7

At its upper end the member 7 is bent to form a substantially horizontally disposed laterally extending eye, indicated by the numeral 9 and this eye sildably receives the other member of the standard, indicated by the numeral 10, this latter member being also formed from a. single length of wire bent at its lower end to form an eye 11 corresponding to the eye 9 and slidably fitting the first-mentioned member of the standard. From the foregoing and by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be understood that the height of the standard may be increased or decreased by raising or lowering the member 10 thereof and, in order that the members comprising the standard may be held at adjustment, there is provided a clamp which comprises two sections 12 and 13 each formed to embrace substantially onehalf of the circumference of each member of the standard, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A clamping screw it is fitted through the member 13 of the clamp and adiustably threaded into the member 12 as shown in the said figure and it will be understood that by loosening the said clamping screw the section 10 will be released for adjustment and after the desired adjustment has been obtained the clamping screw may be again tightened to secure the'parts in their adjusted position. The support for the inflated ball or sphere heretofore referred to is also formed from a single length of wire bent to form an annular supporting member 15 and an arm 16 which occupies the same plane as the portion 15 but extends radially therefrom and is removably fitted into one branch of an angle bracket which serves to connect the arm with the member 10 of the standard heretofore described. The said bracket comprises two integrally connected sleeves lo- ]Fatented Dee. it, tuft.

ttli

wil

rat 7 cated substantially at right angles to each other and indicated one by the numeral l'i and the other by the numeral 18, the sleeve 17 receiving the end of the arm 16 and carrying a set screw 19 for securing the arm in place and the sleeve 18 receiving the upper end of the member it) of the standard lllltl side of the ball 21 will lie below the supafter which it is to be repeate porting annulus 15 when the ball is at rest and therefore by the use of the bat comprising a part of the apparatus the ball may be struck a blow upon its underside causin it to leave the said annulus 15. While various forms of bats may be employed it is preferable to make use of one of the .forms shown either in Fig. 2 or in Fig. 4. The bat shown in Fig. 2 has a comparatively slender striking end indicated bv the numeral 22, whereas the bat shown in Fig. 4 has a comparatively large spherical striking end 23.

As before stated, in the use of the apparatus the ball is struck with the bat and is dislodged from the supporting annulus 15 lg struck by the bat until through the skill o the player it is again brought to rest upon the said annular supporting member.

In order to adapt the apparatus for use the form shown in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings may be substituted for the head 17 and this modified head is of T'-shape and includes a downwardly extending branch 24 which is fitted to the upper end of the standard section 10 and clamped in place by means of a set screw 25, and a transverse head 26 into the opposite ends of which are fitted by two persons simultaneously, a head of I meme the stems 27 of supporting members 28 cor-- responding to the members 15 heretofore described, the said stems being secured in place by means of set screws 29. It will be understood from the foregoing that the stems 27 extend in opposite directlons from the head 24 and that inasmuch as two of the supporting rings 28 are provided, two per- .sons may play the game simultaneously.

v the diameter of the annulus.

2. In game apparatus, a standard comprising adjustably connected sections, adjustment of the sections servin to lengthen or shorten the said standar means for holding the sections at adjustment, an annulus supported by one of said sections and occupying substantially a horizontal plane, and a spherical objective game piece designed for support by said annulus and of a diameter greater than the diameter of the annulus.

3. In game apparatus, a clamp bracket having a socket, a standard comprising relatively adjustable sections, one of said sections having one end removably fitted in said socket, the sections being provided with lateral eye portions, the eye portion of each section slidably fitting the other section, means for holding the sections at adjustment, an annulus supported by the other said section, and a spherical ob ective game piece designed for support by said annulus.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LEO R. CALDER. [Le] 

